SINGAPORE: The government has begun the disbursement of between $200 and $600 announced as part of the S$1.9 billion enhancement to the Assurance Package on Dec 3 (Tuesday).
The cash disbursement, which as many as 2.9 million Singaporeans aged 21 and older in 2025 will be receiving, is meant to alleviate cost of living pressures, offset healthcare costs, and build up savings for retirement.
This was announced by Finance Minister, and now Prime Minister, Lawrence Wong, during this year’s budget roll-out in February.
According to a report in Mothership, an OCBC customer already received the disbursement on Dec 3. Eligible persons will receive additional support automatically and will be notified via SMS after the benefits are credited.
Those who need to check their eligibility may do so on the government benefits website (govbenefits.gov.sg) by logging in with their Singpass.
For recipients with no Singpass-registered mobile number, a letter will be sent to the address listed on their Singapore Identity Card. The amount each individual receives depends on their assessable income and the number of properties they have.
PM Wong acknowledged in his speech the challenges of the higher cost of living and pledged greater support for Singaporean households, particularly lower- to middle-income families.
Additional cash has been allocated for distribution to eligible adult Singaporeans every December from 2022 to 2026.
Older Singaporeans are also in for even more benefits this month. About 1.4 million Singaporeans born between 1974 and 2003 will receive a one-time MediSave top-up of $300 to $500 next month.
Around 1.6 million Singaporeans born in 1973 or earlier will receive a one-time MediSave top-up of $1,250 or $2,000 in December under the Majulah Package.
Around 800,000 eligible people in this age group will also receive a one-time Retirement Savings Bonus of $1,000 or $1,500 in their CPF, depending on their CPF retirement savings amount. This is also part of the Majulah Package.
The Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Manpower, which announced the details of the disbursements last month, added a warning that the SMS from “gov.sg” will only inform recipients about their benefits.
Recipients will not need to reply to the SMS, click on any links, or provide any information to the sender. This is to safeguard against scams.
Furthermore, government agencies will not send messages through WhatsApp or other platforms. Singaporeans may also call the hotline at 1800-2222-888 for more disbursement information. /TISG
Read also: Eligible Singaporeans to receive S$700 payout to assist with rising living costs this December 2024
